MUST HAVE MAC APPS: PRODUCTIVITY

1. Office for Mac 2011

Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 allows you to create professional documents and presentations with the most-used productivity software for the Mac. And since Office for Mac 2011 is compatible with Office for Windows, you can work on documents without having to worry about compatibility issues. Office for Mac can be purchased in two versions: Home and Student or Home and Business.

2. Pages

Pages is both a streamlined word processor and an easy-to-use page layout application from Apple. It has a strong set of features, as well as compatibility with Microsoft Office documents. Pages is also iCloud compatible, so your documents will stay in sync across your Mac(s) and iOS devices. You can even edit your documents on the go with Pages for iOS, and on iCloud at iCloud.com.

3. Keynote

Incredible presentations, incredibly easy. Keynote’s powerful yet easy-to-use tools and dazzling effects put the show in slideshow. Keynote is remarkably simple to use, and the results are stunning. Keynote is also iCloud compatible, so your presentations will stay in sync across your Mac(s) and iOS devices. You can even edit your presentations on the go with Keynote for iOS, and on iCloud at iCloud.com.

4. Google Drive

Google Drive lets you store and access your files anywhere -- on the web, on your hard drive, or on the go. It is very similar to Dropbox, except with more free storage. Unfortunately, the Mac app isn't as feature rich as the Dropbox app, but for the price of free, its an excellent option.

6. Sparrow

Sparrow is truly one of the best email clients for the Mac. It has a very simple inbox with excellent support for GMail labels, as well as dropbox support for attachments. The interface is top notch, even rivaling Apple's own Mail app. Unfortunately, Sparrow is no longer developed except for minor bug updates. Despite that, it's still a great choice.

7. Postbox

7. Todoist

Postbox is another great alternative Mail client for Mac users. While its interface may not compare to the simplicity of Sparrow's, it has nothing to be ashamed of. Postbox's UI is probably still better than that of Apple's Mail app, and it has a strong set of features to go with it. Definitely give the trial a shot.

Todoist is one of the best 'to do' list apps out there. It has a robust set of features, as well as a set of companion apps for tablet, phone and the web.

The basic version of Todoist is free, with premium features available with an in app purchase.